Must You Be So Miserable?
by mione1
Summary: Snape makes a friend? Surely not? Snape makes friends with the new, female DADA teacher? Yeah right! My first fic. SS/OC. Snape gets a little OOC as the story goes on. You MUST read the Author's Note at the beginning. pls r/r! *3+4 up at last!*
1. Chapter One-A Fresh Start

Must You Be So Miserable?

Author's Note: Yay! Finally! My first fic is being typed up! Now for the important bit.  This entire story is set in pre Harry and co. times, but at the same time in the year 2002. Voldemort has been defeated and everywhere is peaceful. (Don't worry; it's not a sweet, fairytale setting) In the story, Snape is 30, but he's living in our times. To put it simply, we've got a 30-year-old, quite OOC, ex- Death Eater, Potions Master Snape – all in 2002. 

I wasn't originally going to post this story until it was complete and re-written but, seeing as I've got the house to myself and the first few chapters written in long hand, I'm going ahead now. Hopefully, the story will be continued in the half-term holidays (they start on the 8th of February. Yay!), if not, I'll post more during the week.

This story starts off slow, a bit rubbish and possibly a bit boring but I can _promise_ you it gets better, especially in the next chapter. J

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of JK's. Beth, Jade, Charlie and Gobbledygook are mine so no thieving!

***

Chapter One – A Fresh Start 

With a heavy heart but at the same time an excited heart, she hugged her god-daughter and best friend from school tightly, promising to write as much as possible, and clambered aboard the Hogwarts Express, helped by Minerva, accompanied by her numerous trunks, cases and boxes, preparing herself for what was to come.

She was tall, bang on 5ft 7 the last time she checked, and had medium length, stubbornly wavy, dark brown hair that complimented her slightly largish dark brown eyes. Her hair was tied back in a low ponytail, the bits that didn't reach, behind her ears, and she was dressed, as Hogwarts teachers do, (well, at that time anyway) in Muggle clothing. She wore one of her many dark blue, kick flare jeans, Adidas trainers, and a baby blue, turtle neck, jumper. She was slim, with long legs and fingers, a very slightly, almost unnoticeable, crooked smile and eyes that sometimes made her as easy to read as a book.

Despite being Welsh, she didn't have the accent of her country because she was from coastal North Wales and the people there just didn't have the accent. Something she was happy about.

Although an adult and a British witch, (not to mention a _very_ powerful British witch) she was attending Hogwarts for her very first time. At the age of eleven, she had received her long awaited and almost guaranteed Hogwarts acceptance letter, but her mother had forbade her attendance. As a result, she, along with a friend (who's eight year-old daughter she was godmother to) who was in exactly the same predicament, was forced to study magic by the book and attend a Muggle school. Upon Dumbledore's insistence, she had attended Muggle University to attain her teaching degree and awaited the fulfilment of his promise of a solid year of magical training before she got her first teaching job. Now, a trained English teacher, writer and legally qualified witch, she was on her way to Hogwarts, Scotland, to teach. She knew her mother would disown her if she knew what she were teaching and where so she'd simply told her that she was leaving Wales to teach English in Scotland. Well, that was almost true, she was teaching, in Scotland, but not English.

Pushing stray bits of hair back behind her ears, she took a deep breath and stepped into the teacher's carriage. A room that held a definite air of elegance greeted her. There was an enormous fireplace at the far end of the room, surrounded by armchairs, a splendid mahogany dining table stood dominantly in the centre of the room, and a working table, covered in books and papers, stood against the wall to her right. The walls and cushions on the chairs were red and the whole place reminded her of an English Stately Home.

Stood by the fireplace awaiting her arrival were a smiling Albus Dumbledore, whom she'd met many times before, and a tall, pale, black haired, miserable looking man she didn't recognise.

"Hello, again, my friend." Albus greeted her. She had a feeling he could sense her nervousness. " Are you excited?"

"Nervous, but yes, excited," she replied truthfully.

"Don't be nervous," Dumbledore smiled. She couldn't help but relax. It was probably his smile that had this effect on people. She remembered meeting him when she was eleven and being terrified. He'd probably sensed this, smiled his warm smile, and told her not to worry. She'd calmed down considerably after that.

 "Coffee?" Albus offered.

"Yes, please,"

"Black, white, sugar?"

"Black, one sugar, please," she replied.

Albus fetched her drink quickly from the machine and brought them all to sit by the fire. Outside, in true British summer style. It had begun to rain heavily and the sky darkened, adding a dreary look to the blur of London that was passing by the window as they set off.

"Now, there is an introduction that needs making," Dumbledore smiled and began looking from the youngish, pale man whose black hair reached his chin and the woman with brown hair in jeans and trainers.

"Severus Snape, Potions Master, I would like you to meet Beth Calto, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor,"

"Nice to meet you," Beth held out a hand pleasantly. He shook it briefly and quickly returned to drinking his coffee, wondering how on earth this 22 year old looking women could have enough experience for what she was to teach.

***

The morning passed quickly, full of discussions. Albus, Minerva and Beth (Severus chose to stay out of the conversations as much as possible) talked about all sorts of things, Transfiguration, Beth's books, Hogwarts, the Hogwarts teachers, and eventually Dumbledore brought the conversation around to teaching itself.

"Now I've seen Beth teach on many occasions," Dumbledore began.

"You have?" Beth asked. Dumbledore had never been present in her classroom. Well, she'd never seen him.

"Yes, I've been observing your teaching methods for a couple of months now, from the cover of an invisibility cloak, and, I must say, I've been impressed and amused,"

"Oh?" Beth began. She felt butterflies fill her stomach. Her teaching methods weren't exactly…traditional – most of the time.

"Yes. Now Severus and Minerva, I fear you may not agree with some of Beth's methods, especially you, Severus, but I can assure you, her students cover so much work so fast it is unbelievable. What did you year 9 set 1 class do for you before you left?"

Beth blushed a bit before answering, "Er, they erm, clubbed together and er, bought me a trophy," she blushed even redder. 

"And I believe that trophy deemed you 'The Best and Worlds Only Decent English Teacher'." Severus snorted and they all saw him. "So you see, Severus, although your teaching methods are very different, they are just as effective," Dumbledore finished with a protective hint in his voice.

"Albus, if Miss Calto surpasses your expectations, then she must surely be a good enough teacher," Minerva told him, smiling warmly at Beth.

"If our methods are as effective as each other's, headmaster," Snape began, shooting an icy glare at Beth, " _why bother _saying all of this? Beth will teach her subject, and I shall teach mine.

"You really don't like me, do you?" Beth blurted out, wishing she hadn't.

The question didn't seem to take him by surprise. "I don't know you enough to make that decision."  He told her flatly. "I just can't see how someone of your age can poses enough experience for your job."

"How old do you think I am?" she asked him.

"You look about 22."

"I'm 29."

For a tiny, tiny, split second, surprise flitted across his face. Instantly, his expression returned to the blank, unreadable face.

"I am telling you this, Severus," Dumbledore pressed on, picking up on the growing friction between the two, "Because I think you may find Beth's teaching methods interesting,"

"More coffee?" Minerva asked quickly. She must have seen the glare Severus discreetly shot at Beth and, probably. The glare Beth returned.

"I'll have tea, Minerva," Albus smiled, handing her the cup.

"Beth, Severus?"

"Tea, please," they replied together. This time, Beth ignored the look Severus gave her. _'Well done Beth! You aren't even there yet and you've got an enemy in the making,'_ she scolded herself.

"Have you started this term's lesson plans yet, Beth?"

"Yes, I'm nearly halfway through them. Did you receive the reading list I suggested, headmaster?"

"Yes. The books you suggested have been sent out on the list of official text books."

"Oh," she said, surprised.

"You made excellent choices. And Beth, please don't call me headmaster, its Albus. Same for you Severus."

"Sure," they replied, again at the same time. This amused Dumbledore and annoyed Severus.

"Who, if you don't mind me asking, was that at the station with you, Beth?" Minerva asked, sitting down.

"Believe it or not, that was Jade Angelo and her daughter Charlie," Beth smiled at the shocked look on her face.

_"Jade? That's_ Jade? Jade who had the same problem coming here as you? Her _daughter_? My, my. She looks completely different." Minerva exclaimed, disbelieving, remembering the short little girl who had sat next to Beth when they'd met to sort out a magical education for them both.

"Yep, she's taller that me now," Beth smiled, sipping her tea, recalling the way she used to tower over Jade.

"She's got a daughter?"

"Yeah, Charlie's eight. She's my god-daughter."

"My, my" Minerva repeated, "Things do change."

"Oh, I've just remembered!" Beth exclaimed, "I've actually got a letter for you Albus, from Jade," she jumped to her feet, remembering the favour Jade had asked, and began digging through her pockets, eventually producing a slightly crumpled envelope. She smoothed it out and handed it over, sitting down.

"I'll read it later. It isn't urgent is it?"

"No, its just a 'hello, how are you?' sort of letter," she replied.

"What's Jade doing now?" Minerva asked. She'd always been fond of Beth and Jade. It had been her who'd helped sort out their magical education with Dumbledore.

Beth laughed. "Trying to get my old job I think. She's a literary agent at the moment though.

"I expect we'll be seeing Charlie in a few years. With a mum like Jade, its predictable,"

"God help us if she doesn't get in. She'll have blown up the house by the time she's thirteen if she doesn't."

"So she's showing signs?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Oh yes. Just last week she turned my coffee table into paper. She picked up my wand when I wasn't looking. I think she'll be good a Transfiguration. Last month she found some of Jade's books and her wand and turned a whole dinner set into tennis balls. Jade has to keep everything under lock and key now more than ever." Beth smiled, picturing her paper coffee table and Jade's face when she found sixteen tennis balls where her dinner set had been.

Minerva chuckled, "You and Jade were exactly the same. Is her father a wizard?"

"No. He walked out on the when Charlie was three and he's been causing problems ever since. He's evil, that man."

"Oh dear. Is everything okay?" Minerva asked.

"Yeah. Charlie's determined to come to Hogwarts. I'd be surprised if you hadn't had a letter from her yet, begging to know if she's coming Albus." Beth laughed.

"Not yet. Should I be expecting one soon?"

"Knowing Charlie…yes."

"Well, even if she did ask me, I couldn't tell her yet," Dumbledore told her.

Severus, who knew the story of Beth's magical education, sat, not listening, thinking about how he'd been denied the DADA position for the third year running. He'd started teaching potions 4 years ago, at the age of 26 and after a year he'd decided, at the age of 27, that he wanted the DADA position. The professors over the past few years had not lasted past a year and, by the look of the latest offering, history would repeat itself. How can she, a _Muggle English teacher_ possibly be more experienced that him for the DADA position? He had applied for the job, knowing he could do it, but someone else had got it. And this year, it was woman.

"How long until term starts again?" Beth asked.

"Two months yesterday. So you have plenty of time to settle in, explore, decorate you classroom and quarters and make friends with the staff," Albus replied. Was it just her, or did his eyes look quickly from her to Severus? They did. How could she be expected to make friends with someone who didn't even seem to want to speak to her? Oh well, she'd try though. She liked potions anyway.

"You can decorate you rooms however you want but there isn't any need to purchase furniture, it's all provided." 

"Oh, thanks," Beth said.

"Do you have an owl?" the transfiguration teacher asked her new colleague.

"Yep. But Charlie's got him at the moment."

"What's his name?"

"Gobbledygook."

"Pardon?"

"Gobbledygook. Can you guess the name of the dangerous eight year old who _insisted_ her name was better than what I wanted to call him?"

"Charlie," Minerva smiled. She was becoming fond of the girl because of all she'd heard, " What did you want to call him?"

Beth bit back a laugh, "If it wasn't for Charlie he'd bee called Mud. Actually, considering where 'Mud' came from, Gobbledygook is a better name. It's a long story and not the sort you tell to your new colleagues the first day you meet them." Beth was really trying hard not to laugh. Dumbledore must have somehow picked up on this as he smiled at Beth and moved the conversation back to Charlie.

"Charlie sounds like a lovely girl. Do you have a picture?"

"Hundreds. I'll get one to show you." Beth began rummaging through one of her trunks and produced one of Charlie's' school photo's. The picture she showed Dumbledore displayed a cheery girl with long brown hair and startling blue eyes. She was the image of her mother.

***

The castle, outlined by the summer evening sky, loomed above her. She'd seen it before and so wasn't too taken aback by it, but still, it was an amazing sight. She followed Minerva and Albus into the Entrance Hall, Severus behind her, and tried to take in as much as possible. Dumbledore went up to his office, saying he'd see them at dinner, Severus wandered off sown a staircase and Minerva lead Beth up a staircase and down a corridor that, as she explained, led to the staff's quarters. They stopped at the end of a corridor, outside a door bearing a plaque saying _'Prof. B. Calto_.' The door opposite hers bore the name _'Prof. S. Snape'_. Minerva opened the door for Beth a smiled seeing the younger woman's reaction.

The new DADA professor could hardly believe she was being _given_ quarters nearly half the size of her apartment. She stood in a living area with a big fire place, almost as big as the one on the train, on the wall to her right, a coffee table and three piece suite stood before this, opposite her was a door with empty, ceiling high book cases stood either side (they'd soon be filled), to her left was a dinning table and on the same wall was a door leading to a small, plain kitchen. The walls were all white. She'd soon change that.

"I'll leave you to unpack. Dinner will be in an hour and a half. I'll come and get you so you don't get lost. We don't bother dressing for dinner." Minerva left.

Beth found her kitchen was identical to a Muggle kitchen and that the door on the far wall lead to her bedroom, which was en-suite. The bedroom held a grand 4-poster bed, an enormous wardrobe (that would also soon be filled), a desk and a dressing table. She led her levitating trunks and cases into the bedroom and flopped down on the bed.

She was home. This was it. A fresh start

Author's Note: So there you have it! Please review and let me know what you think. You can flame if you want. They'll keep me warm because these stupid British winters are cold! I'll try and get the next chapter up for next Saturday and then the rest will probably come daily because it'll be half term!


	2. Chapter Two-Collegues and Danues

Must You Be So Miserable?

Chapter Two – Colleagues and Danues.

Authors note: Thank you to all the wonderful people who reviewed! You really made my day! 

I can't think of some of the teacher's names so I've made up my own. If anyone knows the proper ones could you please tell me? Cheers.

We know that Beth's a writer, well in this chapter we find out a tiny bit about her books. This little bit of info could play a big part later on. Just thought I'd let you know. :)

The next chapter should be up soon. Hopefully early next week. Half term's coming! Yes!!!! 

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of JK's but Beth, Charlie, Jade and Danues are mine so no thieving!

***

Colleagues and Danues 

"Have you been shown your classroom yet Beth?" Hilda Hooch asked the young woman as she passed her the mashed potato.

"Not yet."

"I expect you'll be shown around tomorrow. I'll come with you if you like,"

"Oh, yes please," she smiled.

"How are your flying skills?"

"Rivalled only by extremely gormless bricks." Beth replied, scooping mash potatoes onto her plate. "I was wondering, if you get enough spare time that is, if you could, er, give me a few tips?" she asked the amber eyed woman sheepishly.

"Of course! We have _2 months_ of spare time to go dear!"

"Thank you! I really need some help. I'm dangerous on a broomstick."

"I hear you're a writer Beth?" a different voice was saying now. She looked past the kindly flying instructor to see Professor Flitwick smiling at her.

"Yes, I am," 

"I do hope the sequel to _'Last Rites'_  is coming along well,"

"You read it?" she exclaimed, her eyes now suddenly the size of saucers.

"I did, yes, it was excellent," the tiny wizard exclaimed.

"Thank you!" For the first time in a while she was nearly speechless

"So how is that sequel doing?" someone she recognised as Professor Sprout asked her.

"You too?"

"I couldn't put it down. A real rainy day reader that one was," the little woman smiled up at her.

"Really? The sequels coming well. It's just being drafted at the moment, but it's coming well."

"You couldn't give us any clues as to what happens, could you?"

Beth chuckled a little as she answered," I can't. There's nothing solid to tell,"

"Oh, go on! Just one little thing!" Professor Flitwick begged.

She sighed, giving into the eager faces of her colleagues, "all I'm saying is that two things _might_, and I repeat, _might_ merge. But that's it!

"But what about Magda? What happens to her?"

"I can't say! I never thought wizards read Muggle fiction anyway?"

"We do, but it's got to be as good as 'Last Rites' though. Dickens is read by many wizards too,"

"I adore Dickens." Someone said.

"I never would have thought we'd have a Muggle writer teaching at Hogwarts," Professor Sprout said, mainly to herself. A thin woman with glasses was about to ask her something but someone cut her off, giving Beth what she thought was a minute to eat the food on her plate, she was about to lift a piece of potato to her mouth when someone she supposed didn't make conversation too much spoke too her.

"_You_ wrote 'Last Rites'?" he asked in the smooth quiet voice she'd begun to associate with the dark haired potions master of Hogwarts. She got the feeling he'd been told to be nice.

"Yes,"

He paused for a short moment, as if considering his reply. "Good job," he told her without smiling. 

"Thank you, professor," she smiled. Suddenly she realised the whole table had gone quiet, watching and awaiting his verdict and quickly looked down, stiffing the potato into her mouth, noticing he'd busied himself quickly with eating too.

"Now everyone," Dumbledore began, cutting Flitwick and Sprout off before they began asking her questions again, "can we let the girl eat her meal in peace?" 

Beth flashed Dumbledore a grateful smile as the rest of the professors began talking amongst themselves, leaving her to eat her meal. She was silent for a while, picking up snippets of the conversations around her when that person she didn't think seemed to speak much, at meal times anyway, spoke to her again. 

"So, Beth, how are your potions skills?" there was the impression he'd been told to be nice again.

"Not bad. Why do you ask?"

"Curiosity," 'so she had the right sort of polite but effective curiosity a Defence Against the Dark Arts professor needed.

"How much do you know about Defence Against the Dark Arts?" he tried.

"A lot,"

His eyebrow involuntarily rose, "Care to explain?"

"Not really. But I'll tell you this: I've seen and read enough to make me loath its practicers with a passion. More wine?" that smile was the sort of untrue smile and that finishing comment was not unlike the sort of thing people would expect to come out of his mouth. Dumbledore was watching them.

"Let me," he offered. So she wasn't exactly nauseatingly 'nicely-nice' and appeared to have a more…sarcastic was the word that could almost fit, side. To the table's surprise, the solitary potions master's behaviour became almost gentleman-like – he refilled their glasses.

"Thank you. Why do the other Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers never last?"

"I suppose, that they are too weak for their job,"

"Well, I'm here to stay. That you can guarantee."

He merely nodded. She knew he'd heard that a few times before.

"Where is the DADA room?" she asked, changing the subject deliberately.

"Third floor. Have you not been given the tour yet?"

"Not yet. Tomorrow."

He was about say something else, a sneer also about to play across his face, but Dumbledore interrupted them all.

"May I have your attention?" he stood, "I would like to propose a toast," he looked around at his colleagues as they all took their glasses in hand, "To a restful summer, our new DADA professor, Beth Calto, a good year, and new friends," as glasses clinked together, Beth contemplated if she had imagined seeing Dumbledore looking from her to Severus as he spoke of 'new friends'. She hadn't imagined it. She was sure of it.

***

The Hogwarts teachers returned tot heir quarters after a large dinner, full of food, and glad of a summer of lie-ins awaiting them. Dumbledore had told them all that during the holiday's meal times were different to those of term times. Breakfast was 10am, lunch at 1:30pm and dinner at 6:30pm. Hilda, the flying instructor, had promised Beth some flying lessons on Tuesday which left her with tomorrow, Monday, to start her decorating and arranging her classroom.

Ready to settle down, they climbed the stairs to the staff quarters, biding each other goodnight. Beth was unpacking when she was interrupted by a knock at the door. It was a slightly nervous looking Dumbledore.

"Professor?"

"Er, hello, professor Calto. Could I ask a favour of you?"

"Sure."

"We've, er, found something in the Great Hall that's causing a…slight problem. Truth be told, I'm actually quite nervous of it."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I have a feeling I know what it is but I'm not sure and, as you're our DADA professor, I think it is more your department,"

"Oh, okay," she replied, a little confused, "I'll just get my shoes o-" a high pitched scream rang through the air and so Beth and Dumbledore, shoes forgotten, turned and ran from the door, wands ready.

"Where is it professor?" Beth turned her head quickly to see Severus running behind them – he must have heard the scream too.

"Hall," the old man panted, slowing. Beth managed to pass the headmaster and began sprinting down the corridor, socks slipping, and sown the corridor, Severus trying to keep up, hoping she was going the right way, hoping she was getting nearer. She never had been able to sprint for long.

She burst into the Great Hall and skidded to a halt, gasping, mouth open. Severus, who was behind her, banged into her and was about to say something when he saw what she saw.

Ten feet above their heads, as black as night, beady read eyes glittering menacingly, powerful wings beating hard, gleaming razor sharp white fangs barred, was what looked like a cross between a snake and a bat – only 20 feet tall.

"Dear Merlin!" exclaimed an out of breath Dumbledore, "it's grown!"  She could have sworn the thing grinned and was certain it swelled. It did, and at the same time, it made a squeak and its wingspan grew by at least six feet. 

"Run!" Beth screamed suddenly and hoarsely, un-sticking her throat and dragging her voice from where it had hidden as she entered the room. They froze as the snake like head of the creature began dancing in hypnotic motions. "Don't look at its head! It's a Danue! Run! Close the doors and run! I'll deal with it! Run, now!" 

The two men stood there, frozen. Danues were intelligent, this one understood every word humans said and suddenly decided to attack Beth. It swiped at her face with its enormous spike tipped wing, sending her flying and landing hard meters away. "Run you fools!" she screamed at them, fully aware of the blood trickling down her face and onto her top. "Run!" she repeated. She scrambled to her feet and ran to the far end of the hall, putting as much distance between herself and Dumbledore as possible.

Following her plan, the Danue rounded on her and she snatched her wand from the back pocket of her jeans. She stood, wand out, hand surprisingly not shaking, and mentally urged the Danue closer to her. The creature was intelligent but it was also easily lured into traps. When it was less than ten meters away from her, she threw her wand up above here head and brought it down, shouting the word 'Dinervia' as she did so. A powerful blast of black light erupted from her wand and she was thrown forcefully against the wall behind her by the blast the Danue made when it exploded. Bleary eyed, she watched the wisps of black smoke disappear and began to try and pull herself up using the wall for support. She could hear footsteps running towards her and felt a pair of strong hands hosting her to her feet.

"Beth!" Minerva's voice was shrill and panicky. Beth tried to step forward towards the spot where the Danue had just been stood but the room swayed and felt an arm steady her. She squeezed the arm hard and eventually the swaying subsided.

"_How did that get here_?" she hissed furiously. The room swayed again and she gripped that arm tighter.

She looked at the faces before her and felt anger bubbling up and overflow.

"Does anyone know what that was?" she roared.

The staff shook their heads.

"It was a Danue – you said so,"  a calm voice to her right told her. She turned her head too quickly and felt not only the room sway but also her knees buckle. Someone, probably the owner of the arm that was now acting as her support, caught her and, as she righted herself, she saw that it was Severus Snape keeping her on hr feet. He let go of her but she felt her stomach lurch and gripped his arm, if it was possible, even tighter.

"If you tell me those _things_," she spat the word things as if it wee a foul tasting sweet, "lurk in this area, I'm going straight back to Wales _tonight,_" her voice and glare possessed such an icy touch that could only be matched by the man who's arm _must_ be hurting him by now.

"Professor Calto," Dumbledore began calmly, sensing her barely suppressed age, "I can assure you those things do not lurk here."

"Then how did it get here!" she hissed venomously, reminding herself just in time to hold her language.

"We think it strayed off course on its way to Norway." How could he be so calm?

"In this situation, you may scream and shout obscenities at us.  I don't know much about Danues but I know enough to understand your rage." She found it hard to bite her tongue. She couldn't though, not on her first day at her new job.

"What is a Danue?" someone asked gingerly. Beth turned her head too quickly again and gripped Severus' arm tighter again for support.

"A Danue," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "Is a creature almost as foul as a Dementor. It preys upon humans, finds joy in terrifying and torturing them and then, while keeping their victims conscious, devours the contents of their body through their head, the top of which it eats away slowly. They compete with their own kind for the most prolonged attack and the explosion they make when attacked with the 'Dinervia' curse, the only curse capable of destroying them, can be fatal. _That_ one was just a baby, which is _why_ we all survived,"

"Finally, a DADA professor who knows her stuff." Someone muttered loud enough for them all to hear.

"How did you know that? Don't turn your head because I don't fancy you being sick over me," Severus asked her.

"I told you, I studied magic y the book for years. And I've encountered Danues myself,"  she replied, her voice wavering. She was going to be sick. Dumbledore must have picked up on this because he came to her side to steady her. The room began spinning like a merry-go-round, the throbbing in her head began to feel like a drum beat and was becoming unbearable and then, it was like someone had slowed everything sown except her mind and she felt herself falling slowly to the right. The next thing she knew, she was moving, but her legs weren't. Someone was running up a staircase with her in their arms. Opening her eyes, she could make out, through her hazy vision, black against very pale skin.  She felt herself being sat up on a bed and heard a voice calling her name, tapping her face. Someone poured an icy liquid down her throat. She sat forward quickly, tried to swallow but couldn't and coughed, spilling the liquid all down herself and over what she was sat on.

"She's going to be sick," a frantic voice cried, voicing her own thoughts and a bowl was thrust into her hands – into which she was violently sick. She threw up until she was vomiting bile and then bile became blood. She heard a strangled cry for a woman beside her as she threw up blood over herself in between bowl changes. She felt as if her intestines were coming next. Sweat poured down her face, the gash on her head was bleeding painfully, her eyes streamed, he nose was bleeding like a tap (literally), and nobody could give her anything for fear that she'd either bring it straight back up or choke on it. She wanted to go to sleep. If she tried she'd probably choke on blood and bile. She thought she was going to throw up her skeleton next and that her head was about to explode from the pain currently stampeding through her body, when suddenly, with a particularly nasty bout of blood and bile, it all went black and she collapsed, unconscious.

***

She can't have been unconscious for more than 30 minutes but she felt like she hadn't been at all. Somewhere, very far away, she could hear a man explaining to someone that the effects of a Danue didn't last long. She heard the man say that the blood wasn't anything major and that it wasn't her own. The man was now saying that all 'she', whoever that was, would only be tired, very thirsty and very weak. This person's knowledge of Danues was impressive. At the mention of her name, memories came flooding back. The pain, the blood, her head, the Danue. Her eyes snapped open and she sensed more than saw the woman next to her jump, then she remembered she'd killed the Danue and that killing the Danue had put her wherever she was.

"Poppy! She's awake!"  a mans voice shouted. She sat up against the hand that was quickly clapped on her shoulder to prevent her from doing so, pulled her knees up and put her head between them, breathing hard. Her head was throbbing and the room was swaying –or she was- no, she was, the hand on hr shoulder moved to hold her steady.

"Quickly child, drink this," a goblet of green liquid was thrust in front of her and she downed it quickly along with the other 6 or 7 goblets that followed it.

Minutes later, the drumsticks beating on her head disappeared, the swaying stopped, her stomach stopped competing in the trampoline Olympics and her vision cleared. She looked around, cautiously turning her head, and found that she was dressed in a white nightshirt, her blood stained clothes were gone and she was surrounded by her colleagues. Minerva was by her side, Hilda was sat on the edge of her bed, Sybil was stood by Minerva, anxiously wringing her hands, Flitwick was stood on a chair to her right, Poppy the nurse, hovered behind Dumbledore with two goblets in her hands, Dumbledore was pouring a glass of water and Severus was stood with his hand clamped on her shoulder. Seeing everyone looking at him in disbelief, he removed his hand but clapped it quickly back into place when she tried to sit up even further.

"How are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked her, handing the water over, which she took with incredibly shaky hands.

"Tired," she murmured quietly, she gulped down the water, and the next glass and the next.

"What do you remember?"

"Everything?"

"Still threatening to go home?" Dumbledore chuckled. He stopped at her flat toned reply.

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

"No you're not. You might collapse."

"Then I'll go tonight to spite the Danue."

"I see your angry side is back Beth. Only Severus here could match the display of fury you showed us all in the Hall." Albus smiled.

"Can you blame me?" her tone and voice were still frighteningly flat and quiet.

"No. I understand how you feel about Danues."

"Well then you can understand why I want to leave. Good luck finding a replacement," she tried to stand up but felt Severus and Minerva pushing her back.

"Fine, leave. That Danue only strayed off course"

"And it ended up _here_. So I don't want to be _here_ in case it happens again," she spat with a hint of venom.

"What happens if it happens at home".

She stopped.

"Here you'd be surrounded by wizards and cures for the after effects. I f it happened at home, you'd be still throwing your inside up."

Although she hated to admit it, it was true. Dumbledore smiled as if he could read her mind.

"When can she return to her room Poppy?" he asked the nurse.

"As soon as I clean that gash up, she takes some more potions and gets a meal down her throat,"

"That soon?" Minerva asked.

"The after effects don't last long." Dumbledore said. Beth nodded, swallowing more water. "Anyway, she's strong, you've just seen that," she noticed the way the old man's eyes twinkled, "But you aren't to over do it tomorrow," he warned.

"Do you think she's fit for her job now Severus?" Minerva asked, amused. The surly potions master didn't say anything. "Thought so. It seems Beth, that even our most stubborn and un-pleasable staff member has given you his approval." Snape scowled.

Poppy, the nurse, handed her a goblet of more liquid that she told the tire witch would settle her stomach enough to be able to eat and then disappeared to the kitchens. Dumbledore told all of her colleagues except Minerva and Severus to return to their quarters and told Severus to stay with Beth while he and Minerva checked the Great Hall and informed the Ministry of Magic of a Danue in Scotland

"Why didn't you leave _me_ with her Albus Minerva whispered once they were well out of earshot.

"Because, my dear, I am expecting things from those two,"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Beth and Severus. Can you not see it?"

"See what?"

"The _chemistry_!"

"_Chemistry?_ Those two? You must be joking Albus! They're the complete opposite!"

"Precisely. Have you really not seen it? Come with me," he turned back and headed up the stairs to the hospital wing.

"Where are you going?"

"Just come with me and watch! I know I'm right. Did you not see the way Severus stayed silent on the way here? –"

"He was just being arrogant Severus," she cut across.

"So he made it look. He was listening to every word she said. I really do think he is on his way to making a friend…more of his own age. Just watch them carefully. I have the feeling we're going to see some changes. Trust me." He whispered as they reached the slightly open door way. "Watch and listen carefully,"

***

Beth finished glass of water number seven and turned to speak to the man sat looking very, very bored in the chair beside her.

"Um, professor?"

He jumped, having been staring into space, and turned to face her briefly.

"Um – thank you – for earlier. The whole arm thing."

He nodded.

"Um did I hurt your arm?"

"I'll live," he told her.

"Sorry." She felt like a school child answering to a teacher again.

"Well done – with the Danue," he told her, avoiding her eyes.

"Oh, thank you. I wasn't heavy was I?"

He looked up from his feet to meet her shy gaze.

"I saw someone running up the stairs with me,"

"Oh. That was me," was he blushing? No, she didn't think so.

"Oh. Thanks." If her face wasn't so stubbornly ghostly pale at the moment, (and would be for the next few days) the small blush would have been obvious.

"You weren't heavy," he told her.

At that moment the nurse came through the door grinning ear to ear. She set a tray of food down in front of Beth, who visibly recoiled at the sight of food, and looked as if she were fighting back a giggle. "You're to eat that professor. I've got to go and make something to help you sleep and it may take a while. I want to see it _all_ gone." She walked away, closing the door to her office and leaving a terrified and revolted looking Beth to stare at her food as if it were a bubbling pot of poison that she'd just been told to eat and a mildly shocked Severus staring at the expression on the woman's pale face. Ignoring Severus completely, she outstretched a trembling hand and began poking the jacket potato stuffed with tuna as if it were about to jump up and eat her hand.

"You've got to eat Professor Calto," he told her quietly, making her jump and drop the fork with a clatter. She reached out and picked up her glass of water, her hand even bypassing the pot of tea and, as she noted as strange, two mugs and an extra fork.

"I can't" she replied, willing her hands to steady. What was going on?

Severus couldn't believe something called concern wash over him. This woman took the job that should have rightfully bee his. He should be complaining about having to be there by now. But instead he found himself showing her what her feared was a face not unlike the one Dumbledore had shown when she passed out – worried. He couldn't be _worried_ about her. Could he?

"Eat." He took the fork she'd dropped, picked up a piece of pasta with it and handed it to her. She pressed her lips together like a stubborn child. He tried his best to be impatient but couldn't. Seeing she wasn't going to give in any time soon, he poured them both a cup of tea. Dumbledore had told him that after being angry she'd be scared of everything - but surely this was ridiculous. Offering the cup again, she removed her hands from their clamped together position and took the drink in both hands, drinking without taking her eyes off him. Her brown eyes staying fixed on his while she drank, as if she were scared her was going to do something. His eyes were black. Maybe in daylight they weren't but at the moment they were. She'd never seen anyone with black eyes.

"You have to eat because it will give you strength. You should know that weakness is caused by the Danue," he told her offering the fork again. She looked from the fork, to him, to the fork and, eventually took it. She looked at it, swallowed and then slowly ate it, making a face as she did so. She swallowed and sheepishly pulled the plate towards her, moving from her 'clinging to the wall' position. He was actually relieved and it must have shown because she smiled. 

"Do you want some?" She asked a few mouthfuls later, her voice a little stronger. "There's plenty here and its really good,"

"That's not what you thought a minute ago – you were looking at it as if it were poison."

She shrugged, chewing on potato, gesturing to the food. "Help yourself." He looked from the food to her and she grinned, "its not poison,"

He shook his head and she put her fork down,"If you don't eat then I won't. She smiled, crossing her arms like the stubborn child she could be.

Severus rolled his eyes and took the fork she was holding out to him.

"Come on, I can't eat it all you know," He took a bite of potato and set his fork down.

"You feeling okay now?" he asked her.

"Yeah. I'm going to get indigestion soon though."

"Then don't eat so fast."

"You made me eat."

"You needed to."

"You sound like my mum," 

He spluttered on his drink. Grinning, she downed hers and let him top both cups up. Little did they know, Dumbledore and Minerva had watched and heard everything from the slightly open doorway. 

***

Authors Note : So there's chapter 2. Bit long isn't it? I'll try and get the rest up next week. Thanks again to all of the wonderful people who reviewed! Love m. 


	3. Chapter Three-Sevvy Snap

Must You Be So Miserable?  
  
Chapter Three -Sevvy Snap  
  
A/N: If you've read the note at the first chapter you can skip this bit. To put it simply this story is set before HP and co. and we've basically got a 30-year-old Snipe in 2002. This story starts off bad but its getting better! This chapter is a bit shorter than the last and the next chapter is on its way! These next two chapters are only short, especially the one after this, but they'll start getting long again soon. I think the last one was a bit too long.  
  
Disclaimer: What you don't recognise as JK's is mine.  
  
***  
  
Chapter Three - Sevvy Snap  
  
After what had happened that early July night, they couldn't help being friends - or as close to friends as you could get with Severus Snape. The were completely different, yet they got on so well. He was dark and moody; she was bright and bouncy (most of the time.). It was as they walked through the grounds with their colleagues one mid August night, albeit with fair amounts of alcohol inside them, on their way back from the Three Broomsticks, that the nickname Severus Snape would never be allowed to forget was announced.  
  
"Sev. Sevvie. Double S. Sev. I'll call you Sev." Beth announced as they passed through the gates.  
  
"My name isn't Sev, Beth. I think that last cocktail has gone straight to your head," he told her sarcastically.  
  
"I know it isn't `SevBeth', your name is Sevvy Snap!" the horrified look o his face was terrific. She was going to use this name forever.  
  
" Don't you dare call me that," he hissed. This was the worst thing he could have said.  
  
"Sevvy Snap. I'm going to call you that forever," she dragged out the word 'forever', fully aware of the laughter coming from Hilda and Minerva. There were another two people she'd made friends with over the past few weeks. He was doomed, and he knew it.  
  
"So Sevvy Snap, do you, Sevvy Snap, have the time, Sevvy Snap, because my watch, Sevvy Snap, needs checking Sevvy Snap?" she was going to squeeze that name into everything she said to him. He groaned seeing the childish, mischievous determination on her face.  
  
That had been at 9:05pm. By 9:30pm she'd stuck a bit of paper to his back saying `Call him Sevvy Snap' and he was yet to find it. Every single person in the staff room had to fight back a giggle or smile when they first saw it.  
  
"What's the matter with everyone?" he grumbled. Minerva had just made a face at him and spun around to hide her face when he passed her, "And what's the matter with you?" he handed her her coffee seeing how low she was slumped down in her chair: she was nearly lying down.  
  
"I'm reading a letter. There's nothing wrong with anyone." She sat up and swung her legs over the arm of the chair, letting her socked feet hang loosely.  
  
"Who's it from?"  
  
"Nosy. It's from my sister. The one in Australia," she let him glance at the letter before continuing her reading.  
  
"I didn't know you had a sister."  
  
"I have four and a brother," she told him, her eyes still scanning the parchment.  
  
"Big family. Who's the oldest?"  
  
"Me, by eight years. I've got twin sisters who are 21, my brother's 19 and my youngest sister is 9."  
  
"What are their names?"  
  
"Rosie, Donna, Darren and Aggie. What about you?"  
  
"Only child," he replied flatly.  
  
"Are you from a close family??  
  
"No. You?"  
  
"I'm close to my siblings and one of my grandmothers."  
  
"What about your parents?"  
  
"I never saw my dad much and, well lets put it lightly, none of us get on with our mother - at all," she added the `at all' as if it were an important point she wanted to get across.  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Just don't. Just because we resemble the woman doesn't mean we have to like her. You see my brother and sisters and I could all pass for twins etc. when we go out together we all look so alike. Darren looks like a tall, male me, me, Rosie and Donna are identical except for height and Aggie is a younger version of the lot of us. Do you resemble you parents?"  
  
"Only in height. Are all of you family as tall as you?"  
  
"Apart from Aggie, who should definitely be taller than me in a few years, I'm the shortest by about 2 or 3 inches," she told him casually as she turned the parchment over. His eyebrows rose. Beth was 5ft 7 and tall as it was. Her sisters were taller? The whole family must be tall.  
  
"Where do your family live?" he asked.  
  
"Everywhere. Australia, Chester, New York, England, Wales and Africa."  
  
"Whoa."  
  
"Summer holidays are cheap. We just go and stay with each other. I'm pretty close to some of my cousins too."  
  
"Where do they live?"  
  
"Africa, Wales, everywhere," she paused, "full of questions tonight aren't we?"  
  
"Gentle curiosity. Are they all Muggles?"  
  
"Not really. But it seems that my generation of the Caltos are magical though."  
  
"Have any of your family come to Hogwarts?"  
  
"No. My brother and sisters were forbidden, like me, to come here by our mother. My cousins all went and go to schools in other countries."  
  
"Will we be seeing your youngest sister?"  
  
"If I have a say in it, yes. I'm hoping to get mum to let her come and live with me so then she'll be able to come here. She should get in. She's managed to put the jelly legs on my brother now so I suspect we'll be seeing her in a few years."  
  
"God help us, with Beth and a mini Beth running around the castle."  
  
"Nice person, aren't we?"  
  
"How's your sister?" he ignored her last comment.  
  
"Fine. She wants to know if I'm coming to our grandma's for Christmas. I was supposed to fly out to Australia last week with my grandma to see her but I ended up here. She wants to be certain she'll see me around Christmas."  
  
"Are you going?"  
  
"Not sure. Its only August. Do you have an owl I can borrow if Gobbledygook is too tired when he gets back?"  
  
"Borrow a school one. There's hundred here."  
  
"Alright. I'll have a look in the morning."  
  
"Have you sorted your classroom yet?"  
  
"Yep. Not long left is there?"  
  
"Two weeks. Nervous?"  
  
"Its just starting to set in."  
  
***  
  
A/N: Okay, so this chapter isn't very interesting. The next chapter is very short. It's actually more of a mini chapter bit. I should be able to get it up either today or tomorrow. Please leave a review! There's more on its way! The story isn't very interesting at the moment but it'll get better soon. I promise. 


	4. Chapter Four-Absolutely Bloody Terrifed

Must You Be So Miserable?  
  
Chapter Four - Absolutely Bloody Terrified  
  
A/N: this chapter is really short. The next one is longer. This story is going to be reeeeeaaaaaaaally long. And it WILL get better!  
  
Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah. You know how it goes.  
  
***  
  
Absolutely Bloody Terrified.  
  
`Oh my God! This is it! Help! Why am I this nervous? I think I'm going to be sick! Can't they just guess who I am? Does he have to announce me? Uh oh! I think I'm swaying! I'm going to be sick!'  
  
She was terrified. She'd been on edge all day. Constantly checking for the students out of the window. She'd gone through so much coffee it was incredible and she just didn't want him to announce her. She didn't want to have to sit at the high table, where they could all see her. She hadn't been this nervous at her interview. She couldn't remember when she was last this nervous. Her hands were shaking.  
  
"Right then everyone," Dumbledore began, "The students will be here at any moment. We'll run through the routine one more time." Severus folded his arms, bored, "You'll all take your seats before they get in, and everyone knows where they're sitting. Minerva will bring the first years in, we'll do the sorting, I'll introduce Beth, you just need to smile when I say your name, we'll do the announcements and then we'll eat. Remember, now we're back at work, we're supposed to use professional titles instead of first names. I think I can hear them, everyone in their seats."  
  
Beth nodded and swallowed hard in an attempt to ease her painfully dry throat. Her heart was banging so hard she was sure it was trying to break out of her ribcage, her palms were sweaty and nausea was washing over her like waves crashing on the shore. Someone, most probably Hilda, clapped a hand on her shoulder and told her to calm down. She took her seat in between Severus and Minerva's empty chair (she'd gone for the first years) and began needlessly smoothing the bottom of her blue fitted shirt and the sleeves of her black over robe. Then the paranoid new teacher began dusting non-existent dust from her black boot cut trousers.  
  
"Nervous?" Severus whispered, amusement evident in his voice, as she checked the bun she'd managed to get her hair into.  
  
"Absolutely bloody terrified," she murmured distractedly. The doors banged open and she jumped, hearing him snigger. Students in their black robes swarmed in and seated themselves at their house tables. She was painfully aware a lot of them were looking her way and talking.  
  
"Calm down!" he told her sternly out of the corner of his mouth.  
  
"I can't!" she whispered back, turning to see him staring at his own house table.  
  
The sorting seemed to drag on forever. She worked out which house was which and whose house was who's and eventually came the part she'd been dreading.  
  
"This year we have a new addition to our staff," Dumbledore told his school. Beth's stomach knotted itself, "I would like you all to welcome our new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Beth Calto." The school clapped and she smile, feeling her cheeks warming a little, "Professor Calto is rather new to all of Hogwarts so I trust you will behave and not spin her any stupid lies about the castle. Now for the usual reminders - no magic on corridors, stay in your own common rooms and as you all know, the staff room, staff wing and Forbidden Forest are all strictly out of bounds. That said, let us eat!"  
  
Knowing that the students were eating instead of looking at her, her stomach untied itself.  
  
"That was more terrifying than my actual interview," Beth said to Minerva.  
  
"We've all been there. I'll always remember the way I felt at my first start of term feast."  
  
"Did your stomach knot itself?"  
  
"My stomach disappeared altogether." The older witch smiled reassuringly, "More gravy?"  
  
Minerva waited until Severus was talking to the person on the other side of him before she spoke to Beth again.  
  
"Beth," she whispered, " you need warning about Severus now that we're back at school."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Listen, don't be upset if he starts completely ignoring you. Severus has his `reputation' as a bit of an arrogant pratt, in lighter terms, so don't expect him to be friendly at work."  
  
"Oh, I've already worked that one out. The only thing he's said to me since the kids got here is `calm down'. I'll just be ready to throw back whatever he gives." She said smiling wickedly.  
  
"That I'll look forward to seeing."  
  
***  
  
She was thoroughly relieved when the students left for bed but she was terrified of tomorrow as she would have tot each her first classes. Sleepily, she climbed the stairs to the staff wing, bid her neighbours goodnight and decided she wanted a hot shower and an early night.  
  
Thirty-five minutes later she emerged from the bathroom wearing blue shirt and trouser style pyjamas and ran a hand through her loose hair, letting the stubborn, thick brown waves fall either side of her face. The fire was warm and the kitchen she'd filled with modern, pale green units was bright. While waiting for the kettle to boil, the considerably less nervous woman sorted her outfit for the next day. She'd been told teachers could wear whatever they wanted (within reason) as long as they wore the typical long, floaty over robe. The only wizarding clothes she had were black over robes.. She picked one of the outfits she wore when she was teaching in Wales: dark blue boot cut jeans, a maroon turtle neck jumper and black boots. Turtlenecks suited her well and she was the sort of person born for jeans.  
  
Beth finished her drink and cleaned her teeth. Clambering into bed she was sure the pillows were calling her to them. She smiled. Tomorrow was the official start of a whole new chapter in her life. She was no longer Beth C. the English teacher, she was the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor ant Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Professor Calto. Professor B. A. Calto. It had a nice sound. 


End file.
